CATS ambulance: Delhi extends period of essential services Act against contractual employees

The Delhi government has retrospectively extended the period of imposition of essential services maintenance Act against contractual employees engaged through outsourced agency in Centralised Accident & Trauma Services (CATS), till December 12. According to a gazette notification dated June 24, the Haryana Essential Services Maintenance Act (HESMA) was imposed against them for a period of six months to "secure uninterrupted health services" necessary for the lives of the citizens of Delhi.

The national capital has been among the cities, worst-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, whose first case was reported here in March 2020.

"The said notification was valid up to 03.06.2021. And whereas, the Lt. Governor of the National Capital Territory of Delhi is further satisfied that to ensure life-saving essential services of ambulances uninterruptedly to the citizen of Delhi, it is necessary to extend HESMA for another period of six months against contractual employees engaged through outsourced agency in CATS," reads the notification.


Now, therefore, the Lt Governor of Delhi, in exercise of powers conferred upon him under section 3 read with section 4A of the HESMA, 1974, as extended to the National Capital Territory of Delhi, hereby declares these services as essential services.

And, also prohibits any strike, agitation by any of the contractual employees engaged through outsourced agency in CATS ambulance services run by the Delhi government for another six months, with effect from June 4 up to December 3, 2021, the notification said.